SpaceX completes 70th mission of 2023 with latest Starlink launch
SpaceX has scored a big win by launching 22 Starlink internet satellites into orbit, making it their 70th orbital mission this year. The Falcon 9 rocket blasted off from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida, at 11:06 am IST, after a delay of several hours due to bad weather. This mission is part of SpaceX's ongoing efforts to grow its Starlink mega constellation, which now boasts over 4,800 operational satellites.
Falcon 9's first stage returns to Earth as planned
As planned, the Falcon 9 rocket's first stage nailed a vertical landing on the SpaceX drone ship 'Just Read the Instructions,' in the Atlantic, about 8.5 minutes after launch. This marks the eighth liftoff and landing for this specific Falcon 9 first stage. In fact, four of this rocket's seven previous launches were dedicated to sending Starlink satellite batches into orbit. The same rocket flew NASA's 26th CRS (Commercial Resupply Mission) to the International Space Station (ISS) in late 2022.
Deployment of Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit
SpaceX had confirmed the 22 Starlink satellites have been deployed from Falcon 9's upper stage into low Earth orbit (LEO). Most of the company's 70 orbital missions in 2023 have focused on building its Starlink satellite network, which saw its first launch in 2019. The Elon Musk-led company has permission to launch up to 12,000 Starlink satellites and has applied for approval to send an additional 30,000. Starlink is soon set to get a satellite internet license in India too.
SpaceX's upcoming missions and launches
Besides its numerous Falcon 9 launches, SpaceX has also flown three Falcon Heavy missions this year. One such mission is slated for October 12, when a Falcon Heavy will launch NASA's Psyche asteroid exploration project. Additionally, SpaceX is also gearing up for the second test flight of its mega-rocket, Starship. The fully-integrated Starship flew for the first time in April, but the space vehicle ran into issues and exploded, ending the mission about four minutes after launch.
